When you talk about the modern face of Ohio State football, Ryan Day’s name immediately comes to mind. Since taking over as the Buckeyes’ head coach in 2019, Day has built a résumé that speaks for itself. In just six seasons, he’s led Ohio State to ten Big Ten Championships and four College Football Playoff appearances, and an overall record north of 50 wins with only a handful of losses. And when it comes to producing NFL talent? Ryan Day has formed a pipeline. Yet, beyond the wins, trophies, and pressure, there’s another story quietly unfolding—Coach Day’s son’s growing passion for the game and his own path in football. And that’s where the conversation takes a personal turn…

On a recent Youth Inc podcast, Ryan Day opened up with rare candor about what it means to be both a coach and a father navigating the recruiting process. “I think that there’s such a balance of if you don’t advocate for your son, nobody’s going to,” he said. “But you also have to let them go and figure stuff out on their own.” For Day, it’s been about finding that fine line between guiding his son, Ryan Jr. Day (or RJ), and stepping back to let him learn.

The Ohio State coach admitted RJ carries a unique weight, constantly pushing himself to prove he isn’t just “the coach’s kid.” As Day explained, “He almost feels like he has to work double hard because people think just because he’s my son, he gets certain opportunities. But the truth is, he actually has to work twice as hard. And that’s what motivates him.” It’s an eye-opening admission that pulls back the curtain on the father-son dynamic in an environment where expectations can easily overshadow effort.

Day added that while he’s there to support as a dad, the recruiting journey ultimately comes down to finding the right fit. “When I hand him over to another program, it has to be the right fit for what he wants,” Day said. His son, a self-proclaimed football junkie, simply wants to be surrounded by people who love the game and value relationships.

And in many ways, isn’t that the essence of what Ryan Day has been building in Columbus all along? Meanwhile, Nina opens up a father-son bond.

Ryan Day’s wife reflects on the father-son bond shaped by love and football

If RJ felt drawn to the football facility, it wasn’t just about the game; it was instinct. The connection between Ryan Day and RJ runs far deeper than football. They share more than a name; they share a bond his wife, Christina “Nina” Day, describes in the simplest yet most powerful way: “They are each other’s shadows.” That image says it all: inseparable, always moving in step. But what does that really mean for Day as both a coach and a father?

For the Ohio State head coach, the answer is rooted in his past. Ryan lost his father when he was just eight years old. That shaped him, leaving a void that he has always carried. So, when RJ was born, the first of three children, Day longed for the kind of closeness he himself had been denied. He poured himself into being present, knowing how fragile and precious that relationship truly is. How does that history shape his approach to fatherhood today?

As Nina puts it, “His greatest role, and the one that gives him the greatest satisfaction, is being a dad, and he’s a really, really good dad.” So, where does football fit into that picture to achieve more heights?